Theme: Connecting Talent, Business and Innovation: The Next Phase of India–EU Cooperation🗓 Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
⏰ Time: 14.30-18.30 hrs CET
(Program starts promptly at 15.00 hrs, followed by ample networking opportunities)
🏢 Venue: Fontys University of Applied Sciences
🔗 Registration: https://nicct.nl/events/nibm-events/registration/
Subject: Save the Date | Special Second Edition of NIBM 2026 | 4 November 2026
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
Following the strong interest in this year’s Netherlands–India Business Meet, it is our great pleasure to invite you to a special second edition of NIBM in 2026, featuring a new and equally timely theme.
The event will take place on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven.
Under the theme “Connecting Talent, Business and Innovation – The Next Phase of India–EU Cooperation”, NIBM 2026 will explore how India, the Netherlands and Europe can work together to strengthen competitiveness, develop future-ready talent and unlock new opportunities for business and innovation.
With artificial intelligence accelerating transformation across all industries, the event will place particular emphasis on the evolving relationship between technology, talent and business leadership. Discussions will address how businesses, governments, educational institutions and regional ecosystems can prepare for the future through lifelong learning, upskilling and reskilling, vocational and higher education, future skills and responsible innovation.
The programme will bring together an inspiring mix of government representatives, ambassadors, business and technology leaders, educational institutions, regional development organisations and young professionals, creating a platform for dialogue across sectors and generations.
What to expect
• High-level dialogues on the future of India–EU cooperation and the role of regional ecosystems;
• Perspectives from government, business and industry leaders on talent, innovation and competitiveness;
• Insights into AI and the future of work, including lifelong learning, upskilling and reskilling;
• Practical perspectives on trade, investment, technology and innovation opportunities between India and Europe;
• Interactive discussions;
• Extensive networking opportunities with stakeholders active across the India–Netherlands and wider India–EU corridor.
Further details about the programme and speaker line-up will follow shortly.
Admission
NICCT members: complimentary admission, including one guest
Non-members: €125, excluding VAT
Please save the date.
We very much look forward to welcoming you to Fontys in Eindhoven on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
Please come back after 4th of November 2026.
NIBM 2026
Theme: Connecting Talent, Business and Innovation: The Next Phase of India–EU Cooperation
The relationship between India and Europe is entering a new phase.
Economic cooperation is no longer defined by trade and investment alone. Access to talent, technological capability, innovation ecosystems and the ability to continuously develop new skills are increasingly determining where companies invest, how they grow and how successfully they compete.
At the same time, Artificial Intelligence is accelerating this transformation. AI is changing not only how businesses operate, but also the skills they require, the jobs they create, the way people learn and the way organisations need to lead.
Against this background, the Netherlands India Business Meet 2026 (NIBM 2026) brings together government, business, education and innovation leaders to explore one central question:
How can India and Europe combine their respective strengths in talent, technology, education and entrepreneurship to build the workforce and businesses of the future?
Hosted in Eindhoven, at the heart of one of Europe’s leading technology and innovation ecosystems, NIBM 2026 will focus particularly on the connection between talent, lifelong learning, technological innovation and business growth.
Why this matters now
Technology is developing faster than traditional education and employment models can adapt.
For companies, attracting qualified people is no longer enough. Skills need to be continuously developed throughout a career. Employees will increasingly need to upskill, reskill and sometimes acquire entirely new capabilities as AI and other technologies reshape existing roles.
This makes lifelong learning a strategic business issue rather than solely an educational one.
The challenge is particularly relevant to the India–Europe relationship. India has one of the world’s largest and youngest talent pools and a rapidly developing technology and innovation ecosystem. Europe combines advanced industries, research capabilities, established vocational and higher-education systems and sophisticated innovation clusters. Connecting these strengths creates significant opportunities — but also raises important questions about skills, mobility, education, regulation, leadership and the future organisation of work.
NIBM 2026 will examine these questions from three complementary perspectives.
PROGRAM
14.30-15.00 Registration
Informal networking
Opening Session
Start Program – Screening of short video of/with Fontys Students (2-3 min)
Welcome by Ralph van Disseldorp, MSc – Managing Director Fontys Business Eindhoven
15.05-15.10 Welcome by Edith Nordmann – Chairman NICCT
Building the conditions for talent, innovation and cooperation
Governments and regions play an essential role in creating the conditions in which talent and innovation can flourish.
The opening session will bring together governmental, diplomatic and regional representatives to consider how India, the Netherlands and the wider European Union can strengthen cooperation around talent, technology and innovation.
The discussion will explore questions including:
*How can governments facilitate the movement and development of talent while simultaneously strengthening local labour markets?
*How can education, vocational training and lifelong learning become more closely connected to rapidly changing business needs?
*What role should governments play in preparing societies and labour markets for AI-driven transformation?
*How can regional innovation ecosystems such as Brainport Eindhoven connect more effectively with India’s technology and talent ecosystems?
*How can India–EU cooperation move from individual initiatives towards sustainable partnerships between government, knowledge institutions and business?
The objective is not simply to discuss labour shortages or talent mobility, but to consider the broader ecosystem required to develop the skills, innovation capacity and economic resilience needed for the next generation of India–European cooperation.
15.10-16.00 (50 Minutes) In Conversation With:
* E. Mr. Kumar Tuhin – Ambassador of India to The Netherlands (tbc)
* E. Mrs. Marisa Gerards – Ambassador of Netherlands to India (online) (tbc)
* Jeroen Dijsselbloem – Mayor Municipality Eindhoven (tbc)
* Daan de Cloe – Managing Director International Business and Member MT – Brabants Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij (BOM)
*Jaapjan Zuidema – Member Executive Board – Fontys University of Applied Sciences
Keynote Address
AI, entrepreneurship and the changing organisation
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly moving from experimentation to implementation.
For businesses, the question is therefore shifting from “What can AI do?” to “How should we organise our companies, people and skills in an AI-enabled economy?”
The keynote conversation will explore how technology is changing entrepreneurship, organisational structures, productivity and international growth.
It will also consider a fundamental question for business leaders: as technology becomes increasingly capable, which human capabilities become more — rather than less — important?
Creativity, judgement, adaptability, ethical decision-making, collaboration and leadership may become some of the defining competitive skills of the AI era.
16.00-16.30 (30 min) In conversation with:
Sridhar Iyengar – Head of European Operations – Zoho (TBC)
16.30-16.35 “Theme for Nominee Session”- Pitch 1
16.35-16.45 Break
Informal networking for participants
16.45-16.50 “Theme for Nominee Session” – Pitch 2
A Business Leadership Perspective
From workforce planning to lifelong learning
The final substantive session turns to the practical implications for business.
The traditional model of education followed by a largely linear professional career is rapidly becoming outdated. Learning increasingly becomes a continuous cycle throughout working life:
Learn → Work → Upskill → Reskill → Adapt → Learn again.
This development has significant implications for employers.
Companies will need to think differently about recruitment, retention and workforce development. The ability to develop existing employees may become just as important as the ability to recruit new ones.
The discussion will therefore explore:
*Which skills will businesses need in an AI-enabled economy?
*How do companies identify the skills they will require five or ten years from now?
*How can vocational education, universities and businesses work together more effectively?
*How can companies successfully upskill and reskill existing employees?
*What role can lifelong learning play in employee retention and organisational resilience?
*How do businesses combine technological capability with human judgement and responsible leadership?
*What can India and Europe learn from each other’s approaches to technology, education and talent development?
The objective is to move beyond predicting the “future of work” and instead discuss how organisations can actively build the workforce of the future.
16.50-17.20 (30 Minutes) In conversation with:
* Mr. Dr. Bart F.W. Wernaart – Leading Lector CoE-SCT & Lector Moral Design
Strategy Fontys
* Miel Timmers – Director Communications & Public Affairs – VDL Groep (tbc)
* Deeptha Khanna – Chief Business Leader Personal Health – Philips (tbc)
17.20-17.30 “Theme for nominee session” – Pitch 3
Audience Voting Award
17.30-17.35 Wrap up
17.35-18.30 Informal networking with drinks and snacks
We are actively preparing an exceptional program for you. Check frequently to see which subject matter expert speakers have been confirmed.
Our confirmed speakers this year are (in the flow of the program):
Ralph van Disseldorp, Msc – Managing Director Fontys Business Eindhoven
Ralph van Disseldorp is Managing Director of the Business Institute Eindhoven, where he works at the intersection of education, innovation, and international business development. Based in the Brainport Eindhoven region, he is committed to strengthening connections between industry, higher education, and global partners to prepare talent and organizations for an increasingly international and technology-driven economy.
Drawing on his experience in building strategic collaborations and fostering international engagement, Ralph brings a practical perspective on how regions can thrive through cross-border partnerships, innovation ecosystems, and talent development. During this session, he will share insights into the opportunities and challenges of international business within the dynamic Brainport environment.
Edith Nordmann – Chairman NICCT & Managing Partner ACG International
Edith Nordmann LL.M. is Chairman of the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT) and Managing Partner at ACG International, a corporate law firm based in Amsterdam.
She is an expert in employment law and a seasoned corporate and commercial litigator, representing both companies and individuals in complex legal matters. Her practice includes cross-border transactions, contract disputes, and national and international litigation. As a certified mediator and arbitrator, she also assists clients in resolving disputes amicably and efficiently.
Fluent in German (native), English, Dutch, French, and Italian, Edith bridges not only language but also cultural and legal differences—placing her in a unique position to navigate cross-border challenges.
Edith is set on sharing her knowledge and empowering the young generations of professionals by way of mentoring and giving guest-lectures at universities across Europe and India. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded an honorary doctorate (Dr. h.c.). She is currently a member of the B20 Task Force under the G20 Presidency of South Africa in 2025, continuing her active engagement following previous roles in the B20 Task Forces under India and Brazil’s G20 Presidencies.
Alongside her legal and policy work, Edith is committed to social impact and lends her expertise to various charitable and professional organizations, using her voice to empower others and promote meaningful change.
Please click here to see with whom you will be able to connect during the NIBM:
Deelnemerslijst NIBM Eindhoven 2026 (voor op website 28.9.2026)